Which aspect of the Value Added Model is based on previous student performance?

The Value Added Model (VAM) primarily focuses on the contributions that teachers make to students' academic performance over time. This model specifically measures the change in student achievement as a result of a teacher's influence, taking into account the students' prior performance levels. By using this approach, the VAM seeks to isolate the effects of teaching on student growth, thus allowing for a fair assessment of individual teacher effectiveness based on how well their students improve compared to where they started.

In this context, the notion of "current teacher contributions to students" is pivotal, as it highlights the relationship between a teacher's instruction and the growth observed in their students relative to their baseline performance. This model provides insights into how much value the teacher adds to the learning process, accounting for the initial academic standing of their students.

The other responses focus on different aspects that do not directly relate to how previous performance influences the current measurement of teacher effectiveness in terms of student growth, thus making them less relevant to the question.